


Illusions

by HeadLadyInquisitor



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: E-mail, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-17 01:26:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11841105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeadLadyInquisitor/pseuds/HeadLadyInquisitor
Summary: After the mess that was the Archon's ship, Ryder needs someone to lean on. She just doesn't know how to ask.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter is a brief string of emails, and the second is the one-shot that follows.

**Listen to me**

To: Rosetta Ryder  
From: Reyes Vidal

Peebee told me about the Archon’s ship, and I can hear you second guessing yourself all the way from here. Don’t. You’ve been through enough, and no one else could have made that choice.

Come back to Kadara - you deserve a break. I’ll make up a reason if you need.

Reyes

* * *

**Reaching out**

To: Rosetta Ryder  
From: Reyes Vidal

You know I’m not the clingy type, but I worry when I don’t hear from you after something like this.

From what your crew (who is also worried) has told me, the situation on the Archon’s ship was worse than anyone could have predicted. If I had you here I would make sure you were looking at me as I said this: it is not your fault. I know, it tears you up not being able to save everyone. But I don’t doubt for one moment that you did every last thing you could to try, and the ones who made it out are grateful for it.

Talk to me, Ryder. You don’t have to do this alone.

Reyes

* * *

**RE: Reaching out**

To: Reyes Vidal  
From: Rosetta Ryder

I’m fine, Reyes. Just busy.

Rosetta

* * *

**Your “queen”**

To: Reyes Vidal  
From: Peebee (the perturbed)

I’ll cut right to the chase: can you get off Kadara for a while? We’re on Eos and I’m running out of ideas here. Like, she’s still working, but she’s not all there, not really. This shit really got in her head. Cliche as it is, I think she needs you.

Time to step up, loverboy.

Peebee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted this on tumblr months ago, just getting around to putting it up here. My tumblr is head-bitch-inquisitor, if you wanna come say hi.


	2. Chapter 2

Boarding the Tempest after a day full of mining on Eos, Rosetta had little on her mind except the desperate need for a shower. The planet was certainly more tolerable without all the radiation, but _god_  there was dirt _everywhere_ , and she felt the grit of it in every nook and cranny of her armor, even a little in her clothes underneath.

She took the ladder straight down from the bridge to avoid any interruptions from her crew - specifically, thinly-veiled questions about her mental state, why they were staying so long on Eos, and had she checked her email lately? (”I’m fine,” “We need to stock up on materials,” and “Yes, why do you ask?” through gritted teeth - there never seemed to be an answer to that one.)

She was in no mood for it right then, so, on her way to clean, steamy bliss, she ducked into her quarters to get her things, reviewing the day’s haul on her omni-tool as an ineffective distraction. Soaps and towel in hand, she turned around to head back across the hall and froze when she realized she wasn’t alone.

Seated on her couch, watching her with a curious stare, was Reyes Vidal.

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile, but she didn’t miss the crease between his brows. _Dammit_.

“You ought to be more careful, Ryder.” He was _trying_  to tease, but his voice had an edge to it. “If I were an assassin you’d be dead right now.”

Rosetta huffed out a humorless laugh and set down her things. “I trust my crew not to let assassins onto my ship. Apparently I need to have a talk with them about _you_.”

The witty retort she expected never came. Instead, Reyes stood from the couch, worry lines on his face deepening, and approached her in slow, measured steps to wrap his arms around her - so carefully, she couldn’t tell if he was afraid she would break or push him away. _This was exactly what she was trying to avoid_.

She stiffened in his embrace, running through scenarios in her mind, looking for the best way to get out of this with both of them unscathed. She didn’t want him to know, _she didn’t want him to see-_

His lips brushed her ear. “I worried, _Rosita_.”

_Oh, damn him._

Her knees might have given out if he weren’t holding her up, and she hated herself for it. After all she’d seen, the lives she’d held in her hands, the truths she’d been faced with after believing the lies, how ironic it was that this man, who had once hurt her _so deeply_  with his own deception, would be the only thing that felt like truth to her. _Like home_.

God, she was not ready to study _that_  thought too closely.

But… maybe she could let him see her. Just for a moment.

Finally, she slid her arms around his torso and buried her face in his shirt, letting his warm, familiar scent ground her. She felt him relax a little, too, sliding a hand up to stroke her hair, knowing that it comforted her as much as it embarrassed her.

Moments ticked by, she didn’t know how many, before she raised her head to meet his eyes, her own tired, but dry for the time being. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean- I didn’t want-”

He brushed a lock of lilac hair from her face and quieted her apologies with a kiss. Firm and sure, but tender. His hands stayed at her face when he pulled away. “Do you want to talk, Rosetta?”

She swallowed hard and gave him a nod and a watery smile. Because through the apparent collapse of the unflappable Pathfinder Ryder, Reyes was still looking at Rosetta like he did on those crates, over that bottle of whiskey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my personal canon this also took place after Ryder Family Secrets, but it didn't come up in the fic. Still, you can see how she'd be a little messed up.
> 
> Thanks for reading! I'm still at head-bitch-inquisitor on tumblr.


End file.
